Heidi Chronicles: Got Milk?

What abotu Dennises kits. Do they hang with her or has she kind a left them to fend for on her own however they may and if she prego again wodner how she will treat this batch.

Starlight, I think even the super moms like Heidi move out the kits during the winter. It's the only rest they get before starting the whole cycle again next year!

starlight, Ruth,

Like Ruth said, none of the 08 moms are parenting kits now. Even Heidi is showing up on her own now. Her kits are often there but they are not 'with' her anymore than any of the others at the buffet. The youngsters are probably in their late teens to early 20's now in human terms, so I'm sure they don't feel as though they need parental supervision anymore. LOL. You have to get to my age to realize that you really do still need some parental guidance and probably always will.

In addition, while I see a small raccoon now and then that I think might be one of Dennis', I really can't tell who is who with the kits except for a few like Jerry, Calvin, Timba, and that one of Blondie's.

I would believe just about anything you told me about Dennis, or most any of the family. Back in the early seventies we lived, for a short time, with some friends in an old 1800's farm house, no electricity, up in the hills above Ashland, Oregon. During the early winter we kept hearing something down stairs at night. Finally came down with the flashlight to discover a very large Racoon. He had learned how to open the door latch into the kitchen. Our water was gravity feed from a stream higher up the hill. He would bring his food in out of the cold wind and turn on the faucet, clean his food, eat and then let himself out again......I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself.....since then, I would believe most things you could tell me about racoons........however, he never did learn o turn the water off when he was finished !

hahahahhaha that is so funny. what a story. and what a sight, woudl make ya wonder if ya had ghosts in the house.

I would like to have seen my husbands face the first time he came face to face with that racoon in the kitchen....he is a City Boy.....it would have been worth a few laughs cause I know what he looked like when he was telling us about it the next day...LOL!

LOL, wow, can you imagine what a popular video that would be on YouTube?

What a great story, zhinusmom; and I'll bet that the look on hubbie's face was priceless. I can just imagine the breakfast conversations among two couples trying to figure out what fool left the water running...

It was amusing....no one was going to argue with the guy once we discovered him....to this day he was one of the largest Racoons I have seen.

zhinusmom,

That is hilarious!

I've read numerous such stories, many here on DG, of raccoons letting themselves into homes either throw unlocked door or through doggie doors. Seems that once they learn to do such a thing they repeat the process nightly or at least periodically. Some come in, eat pet food, and then leave. Often the home owners go unaware for a long time until they start to notice that missing pet food and investigate or the pet wakes them up. In other cases the home owners awaken in the night to find the raccoon in the bedroom staring at them. In all of the cases that I've read about the raccoon is quite calm about the whole thing and just exits the way he (or she) came in.

After reading these accounts and watching that youtube video of the raccoon who reaches in through the doggie door to steal the throw rug, I am glad I never got around to adding that doggie door I wanted in the mud room as I'm quite sure I would have a house full of raccoon by now. Also, after reading so many accounts of raccoons letting themselves in through unlocked doors, I am now careful never to leave the back door unlocked even briefly.

Dennis still tries to walk in every time I open the door. Being particularly unafraid of me, she is quite eager to get the chance to plunder through the contents of the house. Whent he fear element is removed, they love to explore new things, so I have no doubt that she would enjoy climbing on the furniture, walking on the balcony railing, and swinging from the ceiling fans and light fixtures.

I do remember that my mom and dads friends with the Fox and the Racoon had no curtains in the house...they would play tag and the racoon would go up the curtains....of course we kids thought it great fun!!

LOL, zhinusmom,

I've read that if you are planning to live with a raccoon [pet], it's advisable to choose only non-upholstered furniture and a fabric-free environment.

My little Dennis is growing up! : D

Last night when Bast arrived she stole Dennis' spot beside me as usual. The spot in question is just to the right of my feet and is a highly coveted spot (by those comfortable that close to me) because it is backed by the little table beside me which forms a boundary of sorts for added protection. The raccoon, Dennis or Bast, is then tucked safely between my legs and the table, leaving only one truly exposed side to watch. Of course, other raccoons could come through under the table, but few raccoons are sufficiently comfortable around me to risk climbing under the table beside me, and even then they can't move very quickly under the table and thus are much less of a threat.

After Bast took her spot, Dennis wandered around my bench as usual, and then I looked down to see her backing up to her old spot, the one where Bast was eating. OMG! Dennis was doing the Steal, and she was doing it correctly! Bast growled lightly to signify her unhappiness. It wasn't a particular loud or menacing growl. Disregarding Bast's protest's, Dennis crouched down in perfect form, her backside only inches from Bast's face [and the food] as she proceeded to scrunch back ever so slowly but steadily even as Bast continued to vocalize her discontent. Moments later, Bast, acquiescing to the properly executed request, turned and walked away relinquishing the position to Dennis. Success!

As Dennis [re] positioned herself beside me, I could not resist the urge to bend down, pat her back, and compliment her on a job well done. Our little Dennis is growing up, and while she was a slow starter, after watching her execute that steal - with Bast, no less - I am optimistic that with time she may grow up to be a reasonably accomplished raccoon-eyes.

Bast, incidentally, is no push over. Bast strides about the area in a manner that totally exudes confidence. She doesn't mess with anyone unless they start it first, but she will finish it in a hurry. Rarely does anyone challenge Bast, and if they do, she will back them down in a hurry. She doesn't let the youngsters even get close enough to try a Steal. If they even get within a foot or so of her food, she will turn and lunge at them. It's just a bluff, a bold maneuver to keep them back as she doesn't actually bite them - although I'm not convinced she won't.

So for Dennis to take on Bast was pretty gutsy to start with. To see her execute such a perfect Steal was just pure magic. My little baby is growing up!

I wonder, too, about the fact that Bast, who as I just said never lets any of the others get close enough to execute a Steal, allowed Dennis to so. Here again, I have to wonder if Bast's behavior with respect to Dennis especially up close to me that way is colored by her knowledge that Dennis is one of my favorites.

Do raccoons recognize and respond to such things? I don't know, but there seems to be some evidence to favor this. Remember that Heidi was always accommodating to Dennis up around me, even when she chased the others back. There seems to be some indication of "don't make the human angry since she brings the food."

On a similar note, a few nights ago, I had given Dennis a large container of blueberry, Greek style yogurt, but it was not the Cabot's brand she likes, and she turned her nose up and walked away leaving the yogurt behind. Bast, on the other hand, being not so brand-loyal, was more than thrilled to eat the yogurt. As I mentioned, it was a large container and as Bast ate and ate and ate many of the youngsters gathered around to show that they wanted some too. After Bast had eaten at least 8oz, I reached down - while she was eating! - grasped the edge of the container, and lifted it away from her. She stood looking at me for a moment. I said, "Let's share, please." With that Bast walked a step or two away to eat cat food while I offered the yogurt to one of the waiting kits.

While Bast had made no attempt to stop me from taking the yogurt - or even for that matter shown any form of distress - she didn't allow the kits to eat for very long before she would come back and retrieve 'her' yogurt by simply sticking her head in the container pushing theirs out at the same time - like that old commercial about kittens being nudged away from Friskies Buffet. It seemed to me as though she were following some kind of protocol for proper behavior over dinner. When I took the yogurt, she acquiesced it immediately then waited a few minutes during which she considered it officially mine and thus off limits. Once I transferred ownership to the kit, she would be back in a few minutes to take it back again.

Bast, the kits, and I repeated this 3, yes 3, times. Each time I took the yogurt from Bast, she stepped willing aside to eat cat food; I gave it to a kit; then Bast took it back in a few minutes. I started thinking the next time I reach down Bast, knowing what I'm going to do, is going to smack me a good one; but she never did. What she did, do, however, was even more ingenious. As I've mentioned before, most raccoons, the smart ones, at least, and certainly all of the Heidi group, are all about conflict avoidance wherever possible, and any smart raccoon knows that most goals, with a little though and planning, can be achieved without violence; so the next time I put that yogurt down, Bast picked it holding it between her two hands just like a person holding a large pot from the stove and carried it about 4 feet away from me where she set it down, looked back at me as if to gauge the distance, and then, apparently rethinking things, picked it up once more to carry it another foot before finally putting it down to resume eating - in peace! I must tell you - Raccoon Rock!

I think I am the only one in our neighborhood, but I Love Racoons!! Their intelligence never ceases to amaze me.!

What wonderful evenings you have been having...

Kudos to Dennis for perfecting the Steal, and how smart of Bast to take the container far enough away, so you can't get your hands on it.

curious... is Bast one of Heidi's? I recall she looks different than the others... but i dont recall her parentage.

Terese,

As I'm sure you will recall, Dennis was off to a very slow start. Last year her attempts at The Steal were hysterical as she would sit down so far away from the Mark that no one could even figure out what she was doing. Often she would be 3 ft or more away. Then she would sit there looking over her shoulder in such a totally obvious manner. I could not help but laugh at her defective Steal - and it never worked either. It was so surprising and encouraging to see her finally do it right. Perhaps there is hope for her yet.

LOL at Bast. She let me repossess the yogurt a few times. After that she figured it was best to move it to somewhere beyond my reach.

We don't know for sure who Bast's parents are or where she came from. She looks much different from the rest. I don't think she is part of Heidi's line. Bast must have been very young last year when she had that long, lean, sleek, catlike silhouette that earned her the name. Although not fat, she is much thicker through the mid section now, a more mature look. She no longer looks so catlike, but when she walked right up to me - and I mean so close she rubbed against my leg - I immediately recognized her from her facial coloring. Bast always had very uniquely bright white trim around her face. In the dark it stands out like neon. And then, of course, Bast has always had the same very confident demeanor.

Every night about 1/2 way through the meal Bast comes over and takes Dennis' spot beside me. Periodically I reach down and touch her back. She usually shrinks down and away from my touch but is getting better with repeated attempts. Sometimes now she will let me pet her a time or two.

Edited to fix typo

This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 3:56 PM

I'm so proud of Dennis--she finally figured it out! And I'm proud of Bast, too, for showing her smarts. What intelligent, fun wild furkids you have there, Cheryl!

Hi KyWoods,

I am proud of Dennis, too! Can you tell? : )

...and of Bast for showing her good, human-friendly problem solving skills.

Yes, they are smart, too smart sometimes, but always very smart.

Well, hurray for Dennis; a perfectly executed Steal is a milestone! [And after last year's disasters, it was hard to imagine her ever getting that one right.] And Bast's manuevers with the yogurt are classic problem-solving, raccoon style. Her loss of the lean and feline look may signal pregnancy; or you could be right, and she was just very young last year. Wonder where she did come from, genetically; there's nothing of Heidi in her appearance, and only the lighter coloring makes one think of HRH.

Glad to hear things are so peaceful at the diner so far: an excellent sign, given the numbers you're already serving.

Hi Ruth,

Bast is quite the enigma. She very probably is pregnant, and I considered that as the possible reason for her thickening middle. It could be. Still at some point last summer I 'developed' a photo of Bast at the little bird bath and was shocked to see the swollen mammary glands indicative of a nursing female. She had apparently managed to pull off one of those celebrity style pregnancies, the kind where the celeb can almost still zip her skinny jeans in the 8th month. What I'm saying here is that last year when she had that feline physique she apparently gave birth to at least one kit. Then again, that she managed to conceal her pregnancy last year also seems indicative of a younger female whose litter would likely have only been one or at most two kits.

Any way you look at it, Bast just doesn't fit the mold. If her thickening middle is due to pregnancy, then how does one explain her pregnancy last year when she was looking so catlike? Then again, if she was so young last year, how did she manage to pull off such calm, confident, mature behavior? Any way you look at it, Bast is riddle of riddles.

Her origin is yet another part of the mystery. I really don't think she is part of Heidi's family. Not only is her appearance quite unique but there was evidence last year that she was not really part of the inner circle. I think Bast's acceptance into the group was largely due to her ability to hold her own in a skirmish coupled with her tendency to mind her own business and her willingness to assimilate. To me she seems to epitomize the adage "walk softly and carry a big stick". She keeps to herself and doesn't start trouble. She follows the group rules and doesn't try to take food from others. On the other hand, she won't tolerate any of the others trying to take her resources - except Heidi, that is. (On one occasion last year when Heidi arrived after the food had already been doled out, she went over and after a brief argument took Bast's food. ) Bast is the perfect citizen.

Yet another indication that Bast is probably not one of Heidi's came last summer after all of the kits arrived and resources were scarce. Bast was the 1st to disappear when Heidi started her 'divide and conquer' project to eliminate all but a chosen few.

Personally, I think Bast may have come from the same group as Diva, Cruella, and Ursula. Late last summer when that group of thugs was crashing the party nightly, I was surprised to note that there were several Bast look-a-likes in that bunch. I think HRH probably was the connection between the two groups. Bast was apparently just smart enough to see the benefits of joining our group and flexible enough to be able to fit in and gain acceptance.

Just wondering, what do you make of Bast behaving differently with Dennis vs the youngsters? Bast allowed Dennis to get close enough to pull off the Steal, but she lunges menacingly at any kit who dares to get w/in 18in or so of her food. Respect for another adult? Treading carefully because she knows Dennis is my pet? Or could it just be the difference between how Dennis and the youngsters approach her? The youngsters who get chased away usually approach face first and are obviously staring hungrily at Bast's food. Dennis, on the other hand, having finally perfected the Steal, walked by appearing oblivious to Bast and her dinner, then stopped and with her back to Bast scrunched down and started to back slowly towards Bast's meal. Community rules for good behavior may require that one accept the Steal. I've noticed that as long as the other raccoon waits until after she has had a chance to eat a bit of her food first, even Heidi will give up her meal for a properly executed Steal.

Edited to run spellcheck and fix errors.

This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 3:55 PM

Cheryl. One thign I wonder, when they do that steal, they puttign rump end in someone elses face, I wonder why that and not just a face first growl. Is it possible that when they do that backward thing that they emit some sort of hormoen or something. Stil haven't figure d out why tail end first and not face?????

Hi starlight,

I don't think so. I think it is just a matter of protocol, body language, that sort of thing.

Here is my take on this:

When any group of animals, human or otherwise, lives together in fairly close proximity as in a community or society, they need to develop some rules for resolving minor disagreements and such w/o having to resort to violence. If they handled all such disagreements with violence they would all be covered in bloody wounds and wearing shredded coats and would be in poor shape to defend themselves against harsh winters and outside threats. It would not be at all good for the group or the species. The Steal and the Shove appear to be protocols that they have worked out, agreed upon, and taught to their children as a way for one hungry member of the group to say to another, "I'm starving. I have babies to feed. You've eaten more than your share. It's my turn now" and do so without provoking an argument. To that end, I believe maneuvers such as the Steal and the Shove work only w/in the community. If an outsider came up to the group they would likely be run off immediately and never given the opportunity to get that close to the food to begin with.

The reason for presenting the backside rather than the face is one of body language. It says, "I come in peace. I don't want to fight with you, but I think you should let me have the food now." Face first is an aggressive position. It's like when you are dealing with a dog or other animal that you don't know. Often you are told not to make direct eye contact as that signifies aggression to them.

With animals body language is a very important form of communication. A Carolina Wren once built her nest in a pocket she made between the hot water heater (in the utility room off the garage. different house then) and the insulation blanket wrapped around it. I left the door open so that she could come and go, but I had to walk past her only inches away several times a day. I didn't want to do anything to scare her away from her eggs/babies. I learned that if I made eye contact with her, she would fly away, but if I looked down and to the other side I could walk right by her w/out scaring her. This is just another example of how important it is what one does with the face when dealing with animals and how they interpret various face/eye positions as having distinct meanings. The bird interpreted my face looking away from her as disinterest even though as I walked by my arm was only about 6in from her and I could easily have reached for her nest even w/o looking.

In human terms, although I don't have a precise example, I could probably approach you in two different ways seeking the same item and get totally different reactions. Approached in one manner, you might be insulted and walk away indignant w/o giving me the item. Approached another way, you might be willing and even happy to share what you have with me. If I try to steal what you have I may meet up with a belly full of lead. If I try to brow beat you and insist that you owe it to me, you will likely balk like a mule. Yet if I just asked you for it politely you might be willing to give it to me. People use speech more to communicate where animals use body language, but the end result is the same. Different approaches yield predictably different results.

Any time one of the raccoons approaches another one who is eating, it goes w/o saying that he or she wants the food. Neither words nor eye contact nor face to face 'conversation' is needed to convey that message. So since raccoons fight face 1st, that approach is likely to provoke that response. Therefore, approaching back 1st still gets the "I'm coming for your food" message across but does so without provoking the fighting response. Since the 'transgressor' executes this move while seated and with all important 'stuff' tucked neatly under him or her, it seems a relatively safe method of approach, one which both minimizes the risk of provoking a fight and limits the risk of injury should the other decide to strike out.

I don't think the 'Mark' (the one the Steal is executed against) is unable to react (as by some chemical means). I just think the rules of proper behavior w/in the group dictate that the Mark give up his or her food this time (with the understanding that the same will be done for him/her when executing the Steal against another member. Note that they don't seem to use the Steal just any old time they want someones food. Females seem to use it mainly if not only when they are carrying or otherwise feeding kits and are very hungry and only after the Mark has eaten for quite a while. It's as though fairness at that point dictates that the over eater should forfeit the food to another hungry mom. Remember there was one incident last year when one of the hungry youngsters tried to do the steal with Cruella, and got hurt because Cruella didn't play be the rules so she attacked the youngster viciously.

The males, HRH included, use the Steal when they are very hungry and come for food and the females try to chaise them away. If they aren't so hungry they will acquiesce and leave, but if they are hungry they will turn their backs to the rampaging ladies and sit down to signify that they are not leaving and refuse to argue about it.

Of course, I could always be wrong, but this is my take on the Steal and the Shove.

Edited to fix spellcheck induced error which converted Cruella to Cruel

This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 3:54 PM

Thanks Cheryl. I know that was alot of typign fo rya, but it explains so much mroe to me and I appreciate ya takign the tiem to explain it. Your explainatin sounds very reasonable and perfectly logical and now won't be wodnerign anymore. : )

Now I wonder if anybody here got dinenr ready that I could try and practic ethe steal with. I hungry. LOL

Last night wasn't the best night in the kingdom.

The neighbor's teen sons were in their driveway playing around with a group of friends. They weren't noisy in the sense of bothering the humans but were loud enough to make the raccoon antsy. Heidi left twice w/in the 1st 10 min or so of the meal. Both times she went up on the limb of the Heidi tree and then came right back down when I called to her to let her know that she had over reacted. The 1st time, Timba had her food when she returned. Heidi used the Shove to take her food back from the youngster. After all, she was hungry; she had babies to feed; she hadn't been able to eat more than a mouthful before the noise scared her away; and it is ok to be dismissive of youngsters. The 2nd time, she returned to find a very pregnant Blondie eating her food. Heidi stood there just behind and beside Blondie for a moment or two as if deciding what to do and/or hoping Blondie might decide to give the dish back. After all, everyone knows that is Heidi's spot. Or perhaps Heidi was waiting to see if I might save the day by running Blondie off for her as I have done so many time before, but I was busy with other things. I tossed Heidi some food back behind Blondie. She ate back there for a while (where it was adorable to watch Time come up and put his face cheek to cheek with her to eat) until another outburst from the kids next door sent her away for the final time. ( I had planned to look for Heidi out back around Midnight when getting ready for bed figuring she might come back then if she was hungry, but I fell asleep early and forgot. I went out at 5AM when I awoke, but she wasn't around.) It was interesting to note the difference in how Heidi handled the two identical situations which differed only in who had her food when she returned.

Having few treats to offer and no bread on which to serve frosting, jelly, and such, (and being to lazy to go shopping), I took out saltines and strawberry jam. I sample the jam just to be sure it was good enough, lol, and yum, yum, it was excellent, crammed full of big, whole strawberries. (This was Publix jam I picked up on a recent shopping trip. I have a jar of jam or jelly someone sent but am saving it for one night when I take the camera out to get pics.) Dennis, who had previously been so well behaved, nearly drove me crazy in her pursuit of more jam. I was doling it out with a giant wooden spoon but still she could eat it faster than I could serve it - and she didn't have much concern for my need to give a few to the others. Thankfully, she didn't use claws, but she kept standing up and gripping my leg in a manner than conveyed desperation. At one point I had to threaten to 'spank' her again like I used to do last year.

Anyhow, once Heidi left and the jelly came out the youngsters having little or no supervision went a bit crazy. They don't get really bad like those mean party crashers, but when you get 15 excited youngsters, even well mannered youngsters, you have the beginnings of a riot. During all of this mayhem, Bast, in characteristic manner, refused to have anything to do with the jam and ate calmly beside me in the spot she had stolen from Dennis

ROTF, starlight!

Check with the neighbors!

You are very welcome. Of course, as mentioned this is just my theory and could certainly be wrong.

I also wanted to mention that going at it back 1st (the Steal) allows you to slowly cover the food with your bum both to lay claim to it and to deprive the prior owner of eating privileges. This seems to work quite nicely because moving in slowly allows you to begin staking off your new territory (the food) while still allowing the other one to eat from the area you haven't covered yet. That way, since the other one still gets to eat they aren't so very angry - yet. By the time you back over the last few crumbs effectively cutting off their access, it's too late for them to argue. Possession, after all, is 9/10ths of the law.

I see this method as slightly passive aggressive. It reminds me of the difference between my brother and me when it came to breaking the rules. My brother would state right up front his intent to break the rules (like approaching face first to take the food) and this would net him the maximum punishment (like being chased off with no food). I, on the other hand, would appear to agree to the terms laid down by our parents and would then do what I wanted (like approaching back 1st to take the food). In the end, I often broke the same rules the same way as my brother, but because I did so in a manner that didn't directly challenge my parents (as in arriving teeth first to take the food), I didn't get in very much trouble and often avoided getting punished at all (like backing in slowly and getting the food).

I think this is basically a method that we human females have been perfecting for ages. : D

I know I am very late this time, but as this thread is getting long and difficult to load, I have finally started the new thread: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/966219/

Once again, please remember to 'watch' the new thread. Don't want to loose anyone. : )
As always, hope to see you there!